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Karen Neill Accepted to American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Wharton Executive Leadership program

Dr. Karen Neill, Associate Director for Graduate Studies and Professor of Nursing in the School of Nursing has been accepted to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Wharton Executive Leadership program. This is a competitive selection process, designed to advance nurse executives to a higher level of leadership to be held in Philadelphia in August, 2015 through the University of Pennsylvania.

Sarah Godsey Awarded the 2015 MG Anderson Award

Sarah Godsey, assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences, was awarded the 2015 MG Anderson Award for outstanding paper of the year by the journal Hydrological Processes.

The paper, titled “Dynamic, discontinuous stream networks: hydrologically driven variations in active drainage density, flowing channels and stream order,” mapped how stream networks expand and contract during floods and droughts. Most streams are small headwater streams that are potentially sensitive to droughts and there is a need to understand whether they will dry up when flows change. While it was first thought that most streams would "prune their tips" from the smallest tributaries downstream during droughts, instead it was discovered that many streams have downstream sections that dry up even when their tips are still flowing. For fish that are migrating along these streams, those dry reaches are a serious barrier. This paper proposes a simple model to explain how the networks might dry up both from their tips and along their length that can help us better understand how surface and ground water are linked together

This MG Anderson Award is a new award created to celebrate Professor Malcolm Anderson’s role as the founder of Hydrological Processes and recognizes one outstanding paper every year for its contribution to the field of hydrological processes.

Selection criteria for the award includes originality, advancing the understanding of hydrological processes with new concepts, theories or results, and outstanding novel contributions to the wider international community interested in hydrological processes.

Office of Research to Sponsor Proposal Development Workshop

The Office for Research will be presenting an interactive proposal development workshop on Monday, Aug. 31, to ISU faculty who would like to improve their proposals for internal funding via the Developing Collaborative Partnerships program. The workshop will be held from 11 AM-1 PM at the SUB North Fork Room. Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School Dr. Cornelis Van der Schyf will lead the workshop, which will provide ample time for questions and discussions. As space is limited and lunch provided, please RSVP by 8/26/2015 to hongtodd@isu.edu.

Idaho State University awarded nursing grant to help refugees

BOISE—Idaho State University's School of Nursing will provide health care for Idaho refugees, thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.

The grant—the most comprehensive of its kind in Idaho—started in July and will run for three years, according to project director Dr. Kelly Fanning, a nurse practitioner and associate clinical professor at ISU-Meridian.

Fanning says students and faculty from numerous disciplines will be involved the first year, including nursing, dietetics, pharmacy and audiology. Students from public health, physical and occupational therapy programs will be added the second year.

"They'll work in teams, visiting refugees in their homes beginning next January," she said. Students will undergo training this fall to learn to address the needs of the refugee population.

Refugees are forced into exile by war, political strife or religious and ethnic persecution. When they arrive in the United States, many speak little or no English and face significant health challenges.

"Think about going to a country where you don't speak the language and can't understand what people are saying. If you have a sore throat and need to see a doctor, you don't know where to go," said project co-investigator and director of nursing research, Dr. Mary Nies.

Since 2001, more than 7,600 refugees from 36 countries have resettled in Idaho with the majority living in the Treasure Valley and Twin Fall areas, according to the Idaho Office for Refugees in Boise.

Primary care providers, such as the Saint Alphonsus Medical Group – Federal Way Clinic, which works closely with Boise's refugee population, will refer patients to the ISU project. Student teams will work with a medical interpreter from the refugee community to help bridge cultural and language barriers, said Fanning.

ISU researchers say the program's interdisciplinary approach will give students an opportunity to learn from each other while gaining cross-cultural experience in patient care.

"This will be a rare opportunity for our students to have this experience," said Dr. Susan Tavernier, who heads ISU-Meridian's accelerated nursing program, and will be involved with the project.

Researchers hope the ISU project will lead to creation of a sustainable program that can be replicated when caring for future refugees or other vulnerable groups.

ISU Alumni Association presents Steve Eaton in concert July 18 at The Stonehouse in Boise

BOISE – Enjoy the music of Boise singer/songwriter Steve Eaton during "An Evening with Steve Eaton," Saturday, July 18, at The Stonehouse, 665 Park Boulevard, in Boise.

This annual event—sponsored by the Idaho State University Alumni Association— is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the concert begins at 6 p.m. It is open to the public.

"We are excited to present this concert. Steve is a Pocatello native and an ISU alumnus and his continued connection and support for ISU is tremendous," said K.C. Felt, ISU alumni relations executive director.

Eaton, who attended ISU in the 1970s, has performed with Carole King and written songs for The Carpenters, Art Garfunkel and Lee Greenwood.

He has received two Emmy nominations for original music created for PBS television specials and has written music for the Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation and the National Endowment for the Arts, according to Eaton's official website.

Admission is $20 per person and includes free hors d'oeuvres. Beverages will be available for purchase. Blankets and low-back chairs are welcome. Please refrain from bringing in outside food or drink.

Self-Identified vampires subject of study by ISU Professor DJ Williams; Working with people with alternate identities can be challenging to clinicians

POCATELLO – Encountering a self-identified vampire can pose challenges for clinicians in the helping professions such as social work, counseling or medical fields.

“We live in an age of technology and live in a time when people can select new, alternate identities to fit how they understand themselves better,” said DJ Williams, Idaho State University associate professor of social work. “We really need to understand some of these new identities and new ways to identify ourselves, and some of these new identities do not fit into stereotypes. Helping professionals of all varieties need more education on these kinds of topics. ”

Williams, along with co-author Emily Prior of the Center for Positive Sexuality o\in Los Angeles, recently published the study “Do We Always Practice What We Preach? Real Vampires’ Fears of Coming out of the Coffin to Social Workers and Helping Professionals” in the journal Critical Social Work, an interdisciplinary journal devoted to social justice.

“The gist of the article is that self-identified vampires are probably more common than most people realize,” Williams said. “A lot of people probably assume they are younger kids or young people who watch ‘Twilight’ or other pop-culture types of things. Yet, the real vampire community, which is self-defined by people who claim the need for extra energy (either blood or psychic energy), tend not to fit that demographic stereotype.”

Self-identified vampires say they have different energy needs than other people and that they may be distinguished based on the different sources of energy from which they “feed,” Williams said. Despite having an alternate lifestyle, Williams said that it is important for counselors and others in the helping professions to treat them without prejudice.

“People with alternative identities have the same set of issues that everybody has,” Williams said. “People of all kinds sometimes struggle with relationship issues or have a death in family or struggles with career and job-type issues. Some of these people with alternate identities may come to a therapist with these issues, and if clinicians are open and educated about this group they should be able to help the individual much better.”

He said that the self-identified vampires interviewed for this study “without exception” were very fearful about approaching clinicians. They did not want to be judged as being wicked or evil or viewed as being psychotic, delusional or having a psychological problem.

“This is a study with a specific alternative identity but it also relates to a larger issue that we are moving into as we are seeing more alternative identities and practices,” Williams said. “In our codes of ethics, and this is true of social work, counseling, psychology and medicine, we talk about being open and non-judgmental and to try to understand a client’s world and context. This study explored the world and context of self-proclaimed vampires. A lot of clinicians are still not willing to accept these types of studies or are not aware of them.”

Idaho State University Places New Recycling Bins on Campus; Keep America Beautiful and the Coca-Cola Foundation Make Recycling More Convenient for Colleges and Universities Nationwide

POCATELLO – Idaho State University received 50 recycling bins designed specifically for placement at buildings around the ISU Hutchinson Quadrangle as part of a national recycling bin grant made possible by Keep America Beautiful (KAB) and The Coca-Cola Foundation.

At Idaho State University, the recycle bins will be placed in the Fine Arts, Pharmacy, Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Chemistry and Physical Science buildings.

ISU is one of 37 colleges and universities across the United States receiving support from the Coca-Cola/Keep America Beautiful Recycling Bin Grant Program. An additional 52 grants are being awarded to non-collegiate locations that include non-profit organizations, local government agencies and other community groups. The 2015 grant program will award 5,300 recycling bins overall.

“The new recycle bins will help with our effort to streamline and standardize recycling locations around campus,” said Sheila Lukenbill, ISU custodial manager. “Our goal is to have the recycle bins in high traffic areas next to garbage cans. The recycle bins will serve as a reminder that there are options besides throwing everything away.”

“Through this program and our more than 50-year partnership with Keep America Beautiful, we are helping to ensure that communities understand the importance of recycling,” said Lori George Billingsley, vice president, community relations, Coca-Cola North America. “Community recycling not only impacts the environment today, but it helps build sustainable communities for the future.”

“Research has shown that convenience is a key factor in getting people to recycle,” said Brenda Pulley, senior vice president, recycling, Keep America Beautiful. “With Coca-Cola’s continued support, the recycling bins provided through the grant program create literally thousands of new opportunities for people to recycle in public areas across the country.”

Recipients were chosen by Keep America Beautiful based on criteria including the extent of their need, recycling experience and their ability to sustain the program in the future. Special outreach was made to colleges and universities through a partnership with the College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC), a membership organization serving campus recycling managers.

The Coca-Cola/KAB Recycling Bin Grant Program awards recycling bins directly to recipients and leverages volume buying discounts. Since 2007, the program has placed more than 45,000 recycling bins in over 560 communities across the United States. A full list of the spring 2015 Recycling Bin Grant recipients and further information about the grant program is available at http://bingrant.org.

About Keep America Beautiful

Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With our national network of community-based affiliates, we work with millions of volunteers who take action in their communities to transform public spaces into beautiful places. Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. To learn how you can donate and take action, visit kab.org and follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or view us on YouTube.

About The Coca-Cola Foundation

Since its inception, The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $660 million to support global sustainable community initiatives, including water stewardship women’s empowerment and well-being.

About the College & University Recycling Coalition

The College & University Recycling Coalition (CURC) is a membership-based nonprofit organization made up of campus-based recycling and sustainability professionals seeking to exchange technical knowledge and best practices on recycling and waste reduction programs between institutions of higher learning. Originally formed in 1992, CURC became a technical council of the National Recycling Coalition in 1995 before branching off as an independent organization in 2009. Today, CURC counts nearly 900 members and is led by a board of directors made up of recycling and sustainability program managers from universities across the United States. Among other initiatives, CURC supports collegiate recycling programs through a free webinar series, annual workshops, a quarterly e-newsletter, the development of best-practices manuals and toolkits. For more information, go to www.curc3r.org.

POCATELLO – The Idaho State-Civic Symphony Association has announced the election of new officers for the coming season, the installation of new members to its Board of Directors, and the awarding of emeritus status to Jay Kunze, retiring board member and past president.

Kunze also holds emeritus status from Idaho State University where he was a professor of nuclear engineering, dean of the College of Engineering, and reactor administrator of the Nuclear Reactor Office.

Peggy Hall Johnson, Robert Raschke, and Cameron Topliff began their new terms on the board of directors July 1. Johnson and Raschke are new to the association; Topliff has previously served as a board member.

"We're delighted that Peggy, Robert, and Cameron were elected to serve terms on the board; their enthusiasm and wealth of experience will be invaluable to the association," Foranotto said.

Johnson may be new to the board of directors, but she is no stranger to volunteer work on behalf of the ISCS; she spent a great deal of time and energy for three of the association's previous successful "Artrageous" fundraisers. She also volunteered on behalf of the Pocatello Art Center in its three-year campaign of fundraisers. She said she's looking forward to serving a three-year term as a director.

Raschke has recently begun a new career as executive director of Grace Lutheran School. He has served on a number of different community boards, including service as chairman of the Grace Lutheran School Board. He is currently the director of recreational soccer for the school's local soccer club as well as director of recreational soccer for Idaho Youth Soccer.

Topliff, the branch manager for the campus branch of the ISU Credit Union served as an ISCS board member from 2006 to 2008. He was president of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors from June 2007 to August, 2008, and was named 2008 Advisor of the Year for that organization. His community service has included serving on the board of directors of Family Services Alliance and he is currently a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America.

Board officers and members join in inviting the community to enjoy performances this season. The classical concert series "Elysium" begins on Saturday, Sept. 26, featuring Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto in D Major," with Stephanie Chase as guest artist. Other star pieces in the classical series will be Holst's "The Planets," Nov. 13; Joy to the World Christmas performances Dec. 11 and 12; an original percussion concerto by Thom Hasenpflug, ISU music professor and director of the School of Performing Arts, Feb. 12; and Beethoven's "Ninth Symphony" April 29 and 30.

Patrons who purchase the complete season of six evening concerts and can enjoy the same seating for the Symphony's POPs concert, March 11, that features Broadway music and more, with musical theatre favorites performed by Sarah Lawrence and Calland Metts. Highly popular raffle packages will again be included as part of the POPs concert festivities.

The symphony will also present its Halloween Spooktacular Family Matinee on Saturday, Oct. 31, which features patrons in costumes and a pre-concert musical fair in the Marshal Rotunda that includes an instrument petting zoo.

"Join us for the 2015-2016 season; you'll have the opportunity to hear our talented musicians and guest artists perform great music in a great venue," said Grant Harville, ISCS artistic director and conductor.

Season tickets are available to the public from now until Friday, Sept. 25. Patrons can choose between two packages, either the five-concert classical series or the six-concert classical series including the POPs concert.

For more information call the ISU Box Office at 208-282-3595.

Idaho Museum of Natural History to Present Equine Navicular Syndrome Lecture on July 15

POCATELLO – Idaho Museum of Natural History's Mary Thompson will present a lecture on her research on equine navicular syndrome (ENS) in prehistoric horses at 7 p.m. July 15 at the Museum.

ENS is a chronic, incurable lameness of the horse's foot.

The lecture is part of the Museum's Extraordinary Evening with a Research program. The IMNH is located on the Idaho State University Pocatello campus, 698 E. Dillon Street.

ENS is a poorly understood pathology but appears to be the result of mechanical stress reducing blood flow to the navicular bone, according to Thompson. In domestic breeds of horse the increase of mechanical stress is caused by human intervention either by increased usage such as in cutting or jumping or improper breeding practices that, for example, result in horses with a larger body size, with relatively smaller feet.

Thompson's research has examined fossil species of horse for the presence of this syndrome. She will discuss her research and results.

Tickets for this event are $5 or $2 for IMNH members and can be purchased online at store.imnh.isu.edu or at the IMNH store. Ticket purchase includes a tour of the gallery at 6:30 p.m., the lecture, and light refreshments. Space is limited.

As part of the gallery tour patrons will enjoy the Museum's newest exhibit "Evolving Idaho," and other exhibits including "When Giants Roamed," "Atlatl and Darts" and a variety of smaller exhibits focused on different aspects of Idaho's natural history.

IMNH is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission to the museum is $5 for adults 18 and older, $4 for seniors 60 and older, $2 for ISU students with valid Bengal Cards, $1 for youth 4-17, and children 3 and under are free.

To learn more about IMNH please visit imnh.isu.edu or call (208) 282-3168

POCATELLO – At least 35 incoming students will receive funding to attend Idaho State University's Energy Systems Technology and Education Center (ESTEC) beginning this fall, thanks to a $612,375 grant from the National Science Foundation.

The National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program is funding ISU's five-year Energy Systems Scholars Project, which will allow students to receive up to $4,000 per semester to earn an associate degree and pursue careers in the energy field. Scholarships are renewable for three semesters, and the project will also offer students the opportunity to work with faculty and alumni for work experience and career placement assistance. ESTEC's overall job placement rate is more than 90 percent for recent graduates.

"We expect to recruit promising students from the ranks of recent high school graduates," said Lawrence Beaty, ESTEC director. "The success of these students will help to create a broader career path for students interested in STEM careers. The successes of younger students in ESTEC programs will help to remove the stigma that can keep academically achieving students from seeking a two-year STEM degree, even one that has an excellent return on investment."

The program specifically seeks academically promising students in Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.

"We are very happy to have this opportunity to reach out to recent high school graduates and others with information about our great programs, and then to be able to offer them generous financial assistance to help make college affordable, " said Evan Smith, program coordinator for the Mechanical Engineering Technology program, and Energy Systems Scholars Principal Investigator.

The ESTEC curriculum was developed in cooperation with utilities, national energy organizations, and national laboratories and their contractors. ESTEC has a strong market sector-based focus, industry involvement and intensive hands-on laboratory component.

"This NSF award provides the College of Technology with a unique opportunity to directly address the needs and interests of younger students for a high-quality education that can be completed in two years and that leads to a great career," said College of Technology Dean Scott Rasmussen. "The proven energy systems programs offered through ESTEC, coupled with the financial assistance and support services of the Energy Scholars program, will be an attractive academic package for students and their parents."

The Energy Systems Scholars program is currently seeking applicants for Fall 2015. The program will accept applications again for Spring 2016. To apply for a scholarship, visit https://isu.academicworks.com/opportunities/4860. Scholarship application forms can also be requested by email at estec@isu.edu.

I Chose ISU: Clarissa Enslin, Geosciences Master's Student

POCATELLO – A South African native and an All-American swimmer as an undergraduate, Idaho State University master's student Clarissa Enslin chose ISU because of the quality of the geoscience program.

"When I heard that I had the opportunity to work with leading experts in my field of study, that was a driver for me," said Enslin, who is pursuing a Master of Science Degree in geosciences with an emphasis in environmental geosciences. "Those experts are my advisors, Shannon Kobs Nawotniak and Sarah Godsey."

Nawotniak and Godsey are both assistant professors in the ISU Department of Geosciences. Enslin is working with them on a virtual watershed project to make better, easy-to-use computer models of Idaho's and the West's snowpack to help water users plan better.

"I am working with an energy-and-mass balance snow model called ISNOBAL and an extensive dataset from the Reynolds Creek Critical Zone Observatory in southwestern Idaho," Enslin said, "to look at the effects of extreme precipitation events on the amount of snow present in a rain-snow transition zone."

The title of the project she is working is the Western Consortium for Watershed Analysis, Visualization and Exploration (WC-WAVE), a National Science Foundation project funded through the EPSCoR program.

Enslin is looking through time-series data from various meteorological stations within the watershed, as a part of quality control. The data has to be checked for any errors before being used in the model. She will use this information to generate inputs for ISNOBAL.

"I am learning a lot of snow science and how to represent natural systems by (computer) programming," she said. "Being able to model natural systems is very hard to do – you never get it 100 percent correct – but the closer we can get, the better."

Enslin earned her undergraduate degree from California University of Pennsylvania, in California, Pennsylvania. She earned NCAA Division II All-American status three of the four years she was there, finishing in the top eight nationally in swimming events. Her specialty events were the sprint freestyle races, at distances of 50, 100 and 200 yards.

"It was hard balancing time between your practices and doing assignments and all the extracurricular activities, but I made it work," she said.

She is satisfied with more than the academics she has encountered at ISU.

"I definitely couldn't be happier because I have been exposed to so many thing that I have not done before," Enslin said. "I am in a (downhill) skiing class, which I had never done, and I enjoy the rock climbing and trail running in my spare time."

As for her future after ISU, when she has that master's thesis complete, she is exploring options.

"I think I want to work for a year in environmental science position working with water resources and then possibly go back and do my Ph.D.," Enslin said. "I think I'll want a break before pursuing a Ph.D."

ISU's Pocatello Campus Summer Improvement Projects Underway

POCATELLO – Projects large and small are taking place on Idaho State University's Pocatello campus this summer, including a redo of Martin Luther King Jr. Way, and improvements to classrooms and Holt Arena.

The City of Pocatello is completing a major reworking of Martin Luther King Jr. Way between Reed Gym and Eighth Avenue/Caesar Chavez Drive. At the same time, ISU is adding some beautification projects along the street.

This street will be narrowed down to two lanes and have bicycle lanes, planters, and wider sidewalks. There will also be new pedestrian ramps and crosswalks.

"The Wheatley family has funded nice improvements along the street for places to sit that are landscaped," said Cheryl Hanson, director of engineering, planning and environment for ISU's Facilities Services. "There will also be a bioswale installed comprised of rocks and concrete structures that will filter storm water through to water plants."

A berm project featuring new landscaping will be completed from the entrance to the Reed Gymnasium up the hill to the east to the end of the outside tennis courts.

In addition, Ninth Avenue running in front of the Oboler Library from Martin Luther King Jr. Way to Lovejoy, will be converted to a one-way street. There will also be a renovation of the library parking lot and new landscaping in this area, Hanson said.

"The whole area is receiving a significant facelift," Hanson said.

Improvements will also be made to a steam tunnel running beneath the road between the Oboler Library and the Rendezvous Complex. The project is scheduled for completion in mid July.

What many students may notice fall semester are classroom improvements and a new large classroom. Twenty classrooms on campus have received maintenance upgrades including having energy-efficient LED lighting, ceiling tiles and fixtures installed. The classrooms that received maintenance upgrades may have also been painted, had new carpet installed and/or had desks and seating repaired or upgraded.

A new 70-seat classroom will be created combining three smaller classrooms into one this summer in the Lecture Center of the Gale Life Science Building Complex.

"We have few classrooms that can seat that many students so there is a need for a large classroom like this right now," Hanson said.

In Holt Arena the University is adding six TV monitors, four on the north and two on the south side, that will be installed in the concession and restroom areas of the facility that will show live-streamed video of football games and other events taking place under the dome.

Holt's restrooms are also being renovated and will have new flooring installed, be painted, and receive plumbing upgrades and other improvements. The main athletics, football, and sports information offices are being painted and getting new carpet, ceiling tiles and lighting lens covers. The training room will also receive new carpeting, ceiling tile, painting and light lens covers.

"I think are fans are going to enjoy the new improvements to Holt Arena," said George Casper, ISU director of events. "We're excited about the upgrades that will benefit our fans, athletes, students and employees."

In addition to these projects, ISU Facilities Services is also undertaking a variety of deferred maintenance projects this summer, from replacing steam line shut-off valves to working on ventilation systems.

"We try to get done as much as we can during the summer when we have fewer students and activities taking place on campus," Hanson said.